Nurse manhandled by doctor

[Scrubby]

Hey guys remember how I was dreading coming to work on Monday? I'm starting to wish I'd called in! Sorry this is a long post!

I've seen doctors verbally abuse nurses, seen them throw tantrums and swear at everyone. Have never seen anyone get physical on a nurse until today.

Well today I could not believe the disgusting behaviour of one doctor.

We had patient who had surgery with a very difficult airway who haemorrhaged. It was awful, patient thrashing around, only two of us nurses and a nursing student who were trying to keep him from falling out of the bed. Nurse rushing around trying to bet airway stuff etc. Patient lost control of bowels, bladder very messy, situation. Then it got worse.

The other nurse was next to the doctor trying to staunch bleeding from wound and keep patients arms from thrashing. I was at the end of the bed trying to manage the legs, nursing student next to me. Both of us saw to the whole thing.

The doctor just lost the plot completely. He manhandled the nurse (dare I say assault!), grabbed her right arm and started yanking it towards him (we have no idea what he actually wanted from her something to do with airway assistance probably, no verbal communication here) in a violent manner. He nearly had her off her feet, really pulling her in towards in hard by her wrist with both his arms. It's had to describe this but his whole body was sort of involved with yanking her towards him . The look on his face was pretty scarey, nursing student said he looked as though 'he wanted to eat her alive', I 100% believe the man just lost his temper completely and took it out on her because he looked so incredibly angry.

The nurse (victim) handled it well at the time, didn't yell at him (I probably would have) but when the crisis was over she was really in a state. Could not stand, had to sit with her head down. She had to go home early which I encouraged her to do.

I told her I witnessed the entire incident, that whatever she wanted to do about it I will verify because I saw the whole thing. She reported it to our CNC. CNC's response to this abuse was pretty much 'heat of the moment', 'patient comes first'. You need to speak with the doctor about it yourself'.'Just monitor your wrist and if it's injured we'll take it up further. No mention of incident reports, documenting this assault.

Ok so it was a crisis. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR PHYSICAL INTIMIDATION! How on earth are we to focus appropriately in this situation if doctors are going to manhandle us, potentially cause us injury and give us all post traumatic stress disorder? How is this good for the patient?I was so angry all day I too left early to see a staff counsellor because I could just not cope with any more crap today at work. I needed to let it all out instead of taking it home and having my workplace problems affect my relationship like it's been doing of late.

Before I left I filed a report on the whole thing. Instead of an incident report I filled out a risk register report. The reason being is that our CNC deals with all the incident reports and I don't want anyone no matter what their status handling this if they think 'it's ok, heat of the moment'. I strongly believe his behavior put every nurse in that room at risk because he was just out of control and it put the patient at risk because we weren't fully focused on the patient.

If this doctor had of apologised afterwards it wouldn't have changed me reporting him, but it would have made a huge difference to how we all felt the rest of the day.

And what a great experience for the poor nursing student. Afterwards she asked me is this is acceptable and everyday practice!

Anyway feel better now for a vent. Anyone else have some similar experiences out there?

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

lindarn,

I am that foreigner. I am also 5'2" (in my clogs!) and blond so I guess I have three strikes against me on the "mouse" scale. But let me tell you, I have also cornered a surgeon (after the case of course) and read him the riot act in no uncertain terms.

The issue as I see it is not the single nurse who is willing to stand up to this, but the administration that fails to back them up when they do. We can fight the good fight on the floor, but if the facility won't support us we don't stand a chance.

It doesn't matter who you are, if you are standing alone you are likely to fall by the wayside alone.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

All I can say is "wow". I hate how nurses are held accountable for actions but doctors are not. We are the backbones in the hospitals, but yet we are treated as sub-human, like we have less rights. It is NOT ok to be manhandled by ANYONE and the facility needs to support the nurse and the doc should be held accountable. If he acts like this in public, imagine how he acts at home in privacy. Its just unacceptable. The hospital needs to learn to support its staff, nurses included.

[blueheaven]

Document, document, document. Keep a copy of any written information you have gathered on this incident. This is just "in case" what you turn in "gets lost" Personally, I would have filed assault charges on the &^^%%&. Poor nurse, and poor patient who had to witness this docs BS

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

Nope, I would NOT let this incident slide. I would make sure that doc knew first-hand that he will NOT do that again. If he gets by with it, he will do it again. That chaps my behind!

[Scrubby]

I spoke with the union today about this sorry mess.

I have written a formal letter of complaint. I will hand this in to my nurse manager tomorrow. Basically it outlines what happened, the effect this had on the nursing team, risk to patient and I have requested this incident be taken seriously. I have also said that I fear for my own personal safety working with this doctor and asked not to have to work with him again.

I am also considering sending a letter to the state department of health and the CEO of the hospital.

As for the policewell I hope the nurse has filed a complaint about it.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I've heard of this happening back in the day, but thankfully, have never seen it or had it happen to me.

The nurse who was victimized should have pressed charges(after the crisis was over of course). You can bet I would have.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Please, please update us on what your NM and the union have to say.

[CountyRat]

TakeTwoAspirin wrote, "It doesn't matter who you are, if you are standing alone you are likely to fall by the wayside alone."

That is why you do not do it alone. Please talk to a lawyer.

[lindarn]

I spoke with the union today about this sorry mess.

I have written a formal letter of complaint. I will hand this in to my nurse manager tomorrow. Basically it outlines what happened, the effect this had on the nursing team, risk to patient and I have requested this incident be taken seriously. I have also said that I fear for my own personal safety working with this doctor and asked not to have to work with him again.

I am also considering sending a letter to the state department of health and the CEO of the hospital.

As for the policewell I hope the nurse has filed a complaint about it.

Definately send a letter to the state department of health. I would also send a letter to the senior partner of the law firm who defends the hospital. Also, the Facilities and Licensing Division of the Department of Health. These are the people who license hospitals. Make alot of noise. A call to the local paper and news agency would also get some attention. This would be a great story that they would jump on.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

[icunurse42066]

This just sickens me to no end!!! When are the higher-ups at these facilities going to realize that just because someone has "MD" behind their name does NOT give them the right to belittle, demean, verbally, or, in this case, physically abuse anyone, nurse, CNA, phlebotomist, or whoever? I agree with the poster who said if it were a male nurse this particular physician would not have done this. ONe question, if it were a male nurse in the physician's position and he did this, would the facility say it was "the heat of the moment?" I seriously doubt it, and it is no different for a physician!!!!!!

[Vito Andolini]

I've heard of this happening back in the day, but thankfully, have never seen it or had it happen to me.

The nurse who was victimized should have pressed charges(after the crisis was over of course). You can bet I would have.

Interesting that we expect nurses, generally women, to bear up for the sake of the patient, the children (in the case of domestic violence), or whoever else is vulnerable. Woman, have your crisis after the situation is stabilized. In some cases, that could be years and years away.

As a male and a pretty tall, big one at that, I do not get this type of treatment from doctors. But I have seen and heard how my sister nurses are treated, not only by doctors but by family members and by rude patients, and I try to intervene, if only by stepping between the rude and angry person and the female nurse. However, I always tell the female nurse she needs to do a write-up, press charges, whatever, depending on how insane and how violent the scene was. I guess I've seen 4 instances over the years that reached the degree of anger the OP describes. 2 of them did report it to police, as they had actually been battered/assaulted/manhandled. One led to a trial, the other was settled out of court. Both nurses wound up leaving the employer, as severe pressure was brought to bear on them for boat-rocking, power structure-challenging. But there were monetary settlements, Workers' Comp, and the good feeling that came from not remaining victims.

I urge your friend to file a police report and to let no one deter her from it, not even the police, who might not want to be bothered. She needs to get to the Prosecutor's office and to a personal lawyer to help her get through this mess. It sounds like you should seek counseling, too, and maybe file a claim for emotional abuse/battering by the doctor and by your employer, who gives not a single damn about you. The student nurse should, too.

Accepting violence is over. This is the day in which we speak up when we are maltreated. But the victim must speak up. No one can really do that for her.

[Vito Andolini]

Definately send a letter to the state department of health. I would also send a letter to the senior partner of the law firm who defends the hospital. Also, the Facilities and Licensing Division of the Department of Health. These are the people who license hospitals. Make alot of noise. A call to the local paper and news agency would also get some attention. This would be a great story that they would jump on.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

don't go to news sources if you want to keep your job. You will be set up and fired. Work first with the employer. If that fails, then go outside.